| 100% | LLAMA | 5 | Apt abbreviation for the 39 ft optics antenna under construction at the Puna de Atacama desert in Argentina |
| 30% | ELT | 3 | Instrument currently under construction with a planned 130 ft. primary mirror located on top of Cerro Armazones in the Atacama Desert (abbr.) |
| 22% | DFW | 3 | Abbreviation for the largest airport in Texas |
| 21% | LIE | 3 | Apt letters for the blanks in _ _ B _ L |
| 21% | ERN | 3 | Abbreviation for the currency used in Asmara since 1997 |
| 20% | GILL | 4 | Apt name for the fish voiced by Willem Dafoe in "Finding Nemo" |
| 20% | END | 3 | Apt answer for this location in the puzzle |
| 20% | TOP | 3 | Abbreviation for the Grammy-winning duo from Columbus that released "Trench" in 2018 |
| 20% | GUANACO | 7 | Camelid that lives in the Atacama Desert |
| 20% | IBID | 4 | Latin abbreviation for in the same place |
| 20% | RHONE | 5 | River under the Pont de Trinquetaille in Arles |
| 20% | CYCLE | 5 | Compete in the Tour de France, for example |
| 19% | ANTOFAGASTA | 11 | Seaport in N Chile in the Atacama Desert region |
| 19% | ANTOFAGASTA | 11 | Seaport in northern Chile in the Atacama Desert region |
| 19% | PUNCHING | 8 | __ bag, for hitting at the gym or in boxing |
| 19% | POINTGOD | 8 | Nickname for an élite player at the one, in basketball |
| 19% | REAL | 4 | In ___ life (what the text abbreviation "IRL" stands for) |
| 19% | SSL | 3 | Abbreviation for the global inshore yachting circuit that hopes to bring together almost 100,000 athletes in 2021 |
| 19% | LOA | 3 | 270 mi. river that's the main watercourse in the Atacama Desert |
| 19% | INN | 3 | No room at the ___ (problem for Mary and Joseph in the Bible) |
| 18% | OASIS | 5 | Where camels stop for refreshment in the desert |
| 18% | PEYOTE | 6 | It's taken for trips in the desert |
| 18% | CHAIR | 5 | The —, 15th fence at Aintree where Alpha Des Obeaux fell in the 2018 Grand National |
| 18% | MELBA | 5 | Dame Nellie, who sang at the Met for the first time in 1893 |
| 18% | STELA | 5 | The ancient Stone of Terpon, excavated at Antibes, France in 1866, for example |
| 18% | XEROCOLES | 9 | General term for animals that live in the desert |
| 18% | LEGS | 4 | An Australian millipede holds the record for the most in the animal kingdom, at 1,306 |
| 18% | HERMIONE | 8 | & 13D Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar nominee for Room at the Top |
| 18% | TABS | 4 | In Chrome the default is 20 for the number of these you can have open at once |
| 18% | MAYO | 4 | Cinco de ___, festival celebrated in Mexico to commemorate the victory at the Battle of Puebla |